NERC leads in FoI ranking, security agencies score low

As public institutions continue to strive for full disclosure of information, in compliance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, the same cannot be said about security agencies.

According to the National Freedom of Information Ranking, which was launched yesterday in Abuja by the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), the Federal Fire Service topped security institutions with 22.5 points.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) came first with a cumulative of 67.5 points accruing from partial proactive disclosure, timely response to request for information, FOI training, and full disclosure of requested information.

However, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) tied with 57.5 points in the second position.

Earlier in her address, the Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Nkem Ilo, stressed the need for access to information, stating that it would positively impact on the management of public resources, as citizens would have the necessary information to actively participate in governance.

Ilo disclosed that the ranking was aimed at entrenching accountability and transparency in public institutions by ensuring that Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) liberated data, and citizens had timely and unrestricted access to information.

She said, “In April 2019, PPDC, in its effort to improve the rankings by giving it more visibility and credibility, reached out and formed partnerships with (pilot) civil society organisations who make use of the FoI Act and work in the transparency and accountability space.”

“This collaboration has now given birth to the National Freedom of Information Ranking and a total of 203 public institutions, inclusive of the security sector, were ranked based on selected parameters stipulated by the FoI Act 2011.”